AYX - Photographic Safari - Kenya - Departing 29th June

Hi there, just seeing who out there is going to the 29th June trip to the Masai Mara?I have a new camera and trying to make time to get used to it before the trip so I don't waste any good opportunities out there ;-)

I've hired a lens too Amanda, i have no upper body strength though so asked Paul and he said to try a 300mm 2.8 with a converter as i'd probably not manage a 500mm for example.

I've only really been into this for the last year or so. I have a 450D which suits my wee hands and a 75-300mm zoom which i like but wanted to try a bit more.

Might see you at the airport, i'm coming down from Glasgow so will be farting about for a bit in Heathrow, probably buying things i don't need..........Look for the pale puny looking girl with excessive duty free!

I'm Robert. Really looking forward to this trip. 2nd time in Mara for me. Met Paul on Antarctic trip, and despite about 8 extra days (because we got stuck) never grew tired of him! Does anyone know if the 15 Kg limit on Airkenya includes hand luggage? In any case it looks like I won't have room for much clothing. Still, I'm there to take pictures, not look good. Also which plug adapters are necessary. See you soon.

Keen to hear what those of you who've been before say about the luggage allowance as I did look on Airkenya's website. Their T&Cs say:

"On all services the luggage allowance is 15 kilos in soft bags except Mombasa Diani the allowance is 23 Kilos.These allowances shall include all hand baggage.
The carriage of excess baggage is at the sole discretion of the company after taking into consideration the aircraft being used and the number of passengers booked. When excess baggage is carried it will be charged at the prevailing freight charges. "

So I'm going to do my best to pack light & the Trip Notes say laundry facilities are available at the camp.

Steve & Amanda ... What is your experience?

Oh & I'm a novice photographer. Usually just use a point & shoot or use Phil's dSLR with everything set to auto so I'm hoping Paul will be gentle with me. I've borrowed a dSLR for the trip.

Hi Debby, I took this trip twice in 2010. I can't recall hand luggage being weighed at Wilson, certainly nothing was weighed for the return flights. Maybe things have changed. However, the size of the plane varied. On one return flight we had a small plane just for our group, and the pilot got stroppy because we had too much gear and it all had to be forced into the tiny 'hold'. Camp 'bush' laundry is efficient, so you don't need to take much. However, take something warm / windproof / waterproof for the early starts when it might be cold. Paul will be more gentle if you take him a big box of wine gums :)

My memory's not great but the adapters in the tent in the main area of the camp I was in last year definitely had UK 3 pin sockets. The hand luggage allowance wasn't really enforced at Wilson airport when I went in early June last year - they seemed to not really mind - unsure if that was because the plane wasn't quite full or not. Steve's right - cold in early mornings (5am) and evenings & I didn't take enough warm stuff last time - so have learnt my lesson. Fleeces definitely needed! Sweets too for the game drives - wrapper-less so no accidental flying off of wrappers out of the vehicles. Steve's right about the laundry - can have stuff washed q easily. Didn't take advantag of it that much last time though - just stuff I had to do as I took too little appropriate stuff!

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